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It is already January, but the 2025-26 ISL season hasn’t begun yet. The AIFF has not yet revealed a start date for the delayed season, and Indian football is currently in jeopardy. Recently, several players like Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu sent a joint plea to FIFA and FIFPro to intervene and resolve the situation.
Speaking to RevSportz, Odisha FC defender Carlos Delgado opened up on the situation and the growing concern among clubs and players. Urging the AIFF officials to reach a decision soon, he said, “We are already in 2026, and we don’t know if the ISL will happen or not. The next few days are crucial – not just for players or clubs, but for the entire Indian football ecosystem. Decisions must be taken now. If not, Indian football will face a very serious situation.”
Due to the delay, ISL clubs have also released some foreign players, loaned and transferred some of them to deal with the situation. “A footballer’s career is very short. Some players simply cannot afford to wait an entire season. I completely understand why some are leaving to look for opportunities elsewhere. For me, Indian football, and especially Odisha FC, has been one of the most important parts of my career. I’ve played for clubs like Valencia, Castellón, Leganés, Albacete, and more, but what I feel with Odisha is special. I don’t want to leave Indian football in this situation. That’s not who I am. But all stakeholders must move in the same direction. Right now, that’s not happening, and that worries me,” he said.
Delgado also revealed that ISL captains had already met with AIFF in November last year, and the Indian football body had been warned then. “We already had meetings with the AIFF and ISL captains back in November. Even then, we said there wasn’t enough time to delay decisions. Now December is gone, January is here, and we are in the same – or maybe even worse – situation”, the Odisha FC skipper said.
“After the players released a joint statement, in November, a meeting was organised with ISL captains and clubs. We were told the ISL would “happen for sure”. But we raised serious concerns.
“Clubs need clarity – costs, venues, AFC spots, competition structure. These are basic questions. In Spain, we cannot imagine playing La Liga without knowing the Champions League qualification rules or financial conditions,” he added.
On Saturday, the AIFF released a statement revealing that the delayed 2025-26 ISL season’s date will be announced next week. According to reports, the AIFF is likely to set February 15 as the start date.
